SANDRONE

Barbera d'Alba

Barbera is a delicate and demanding grape varietal. A meticulous search throughout the area for the very best soils, agronomical decisions and particular attention to vinification enable Sandrone to reveal the very best qualities of this wine. Barbera d\'Alba is made to be a medium-weight wine that will drink well for a decade. It shows delicious and plump berry and black fruits. As Barbera possesses almost no natural tannins, the use of tonneaux gives the wine some much-needed structure. It is a perfect match with rich winter dishes as the bright acidity keeps it from being too heavy.

The Sandrone Barbera d\'Alba comes from three vineyards: Merli and Rocche di San Nicola in Novello, and Cascina Pe Mol in Monforte d’Alba. The Sandrone section of the Merli is a south-southwest facing bowl that catches the afternoon light perfectly. The wines made from here are earthy and robust, but with good aromatic complexity. Rocche di San Nicola is an extremely steep vineyard at the very end of the Novello promontory, just above the tall clay cliffs that plunge down to the streambed that flows toward Monchiero. It receives incredible sun and heat and is almost constantly breezy; it is thus perfectly situated for Barbera, which thrives in these conditions. The crumbling farmhouse (cascina) of Pe Mol sits at the top of the ridge leading from Monforte d’Alba to the hamlet of Perno and is among the highest vineyards in the region. Because it sits at the top of the ridge, it is unsuitable for Nebbiolo, a fickle plant which abhors windy conditions. At the top of the ridge, Barbera thrives, and slightly down the slope are excellent plantings of Dolcetto. From this lofty perch one can see the Monte Bianco, the Monte Rosa and the Cervino on a clear day (Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn, respectively).

Each vineyard is vinified separately. After destemming and light crushing, the must is covered with CO2 for a gentle warm maceration of approximately a day. Alcoholic fermentation begins about 24-36 hours later from native yeasts. A gentle maceration takes place in upright open-top steel tanks for the first 8-10 days of alcoholic fermentation. Immediately after alcoholic fermentation, which takes around 20 days, malolactic fermentation takes place in 500 liter French oak casks. The wine is aged in these casks for 12 months, followed by 9 months bottle aging. Around 1,800 cases are produced in a typical vintage.

2013 Vintage

2012 Vintage

Spring started out cool and wet in March and April, and while there was no shortage of rain in May (55mm on average), temperatures rose considerably. The abundance of water combined with high temperatures accelerated vegetative growth, producing a more balanced situation than had been seen on bud break. June also began with wet weather, and and as flowering was taking place at the same time this reduced berry set, resulting in a smaller number of berries on average per cluster. This was not a concern however, and in certain cases proved to be an advantage, as it led to less green harvesting being required, and helped in the prevention of diseases which take hold more easily in compact clusters. From the end of June, summer was marked by medium-high temperatures, which reached their peak in the second half of August (with maximums of 38C), and little rain. Nevertheless, no water stress issues were reported due to the abundant reserves which had been built up during winter and spring.

2011 Vintage

2011 was a particular and unique vintage. April was hot and the bud break was approximately 20 days ahead of normal. The season that followed had the same rhythm of anticipating by 20 days the flowering and berry set. Cooler weather in July with several rainshowers. However, a torrid second part of August was followed by an equally hot beginning of September “the warmest in 150 years”, with exceptional ripe fruit. The harvest was generally easy but most important was the work done in the vines in the previous months.

2010 Vintage

The year 2010, as in the previous year, was marked by heavy precipitation in winter and spring. The seasonal pattern was in the normal range and never too hot, which fostered a long growing season with a slightly late maturation. More essential than ever, green pruning and thinning were absolutely necessary during this vintage to achieve excellent results.

2009 Vintage

2008 Vintage

From the climatic point of view, 2008 took us back to the seventies with a very rainy spring and summer which made the management of the vineyards decidely difficult. Only thanks to the generous months of August, September and October were the grapes able to complete the ripening process in the best manner. The 2008 vintage undoubtedly rewarded the best zones and vineyard sites, and particularly those who invested in meticulous and timely vineyard management.

2007 Vintage

In terms of winegrowing, 2007 was what can be described as a rather anomalous year. We can sum things up by saying that the period from January to September was the hottest in the last 10 years and it was only thanks to the milder months of June and August that a repetition of the torrid year of 2003 was avoided. As far as precipitation was concerned, we started off with a lack of water in the winter and remained under the average levels of recent years for the entire summer. Only the occasional storms, some of which were exceptionally violent, accompanied by the greatly feared hailstones, mitigated a summer which risked jeopardising a balanced vegetative cycle. In practice, we recorded a very early grape harvest, similar to that of 2003, but if we consider the fact the budding and blooming were early too, we can say that the vegetative cycle and consequent ripening of the grapes respected the normal durations, simply bringing everything forward by 15/20 days.

The grape harvest began on the 11th of September and continued through to the 20th of the same month. After maceration, which lasted as long as 10 days for some batches, and fermentation, which took place as usual in steel, the wine was transferred to 500-litre casks made of French oak, half of which were new. Malolactic fermentation took place here, followed by ageing until the end of December 2008, when the wine was bottled. The evolution of this Barbara is optimised by the subsequent 9 months spent in the bottle before its release onto the market in September. 22,000 bottles and 400 magnums were made.

The Sandrone 2007 Barbera is distinguished by the richness and the concentration of beautifully ripe fruit. In the mouth too, it is a full, deep, long but also round wine, with a pleasant impact.

2006 Vintage

The alternation of hot and cold periods characterized the vegetative cycle of 2006. Heat in May and June was very strong, but from August onwards the situation changed. August 2006 was the coldest in 5 years, with marked differences between day and night temperatures and, thankfully, some rainfall. By mid-September there were perfect harvest conditions.

Each vineyards was harvested separately. Maceration was 8 to 10 days in stainless steel tanks, and alcoholic fermentation took place over 20 days in stainless steel. Malolactic lasted until December, taking place in 500L French oak barrels, after which the wine matured for 12 months. Blending took place immediately before bottling, followed by 9 months aging in bottle before release.

2006 gave a truly complete Barbera, with grace and approachability. The fruit is accompanied by spicy notes in the nose, and in the mouth the wine is harmonious, dense, and reveals layer of layer of flavors. An iron fist in the softest velvet.

22,400 bottles and 400 magnums were produced.

"This has a laserlike feel on the palate, featuring blackberry and boysenberry fruit focused by bracing acidity. Textbook Barbera, with a juicy finish. Drink now through 2019."90 Points Wine Spectator

"A tight, pretty red with rose, plum and grape. Medium to full body, good fruit and a fresh finish. Drink now." 91 Points James Suckling

"The quality of fruit in the 2013 Barbera d'Alba will not go unnoticed. This seamless wine opens to dark color and concentration with leathery aromas that are fused with plum, blackberry and cassis. It is a weighty and opulent wine that never feels too heavy or flat. In fact, the mouthfeel is bright and tonic with medium richness overall. The wine achieves a rare level of balance that is not easy for the Barbera grape."90+ Points Wine Advocate

"This is rich, with an edge of iron and mineral to the black currant and blackberry flavors. Vibrant, with light touches of chocolate and spice on the finish. Drink now through 2018."90 Points Wine Spectator

"Sandrone's 2012 Barbera d'Alba is all about polish and refinement. Dark red and black stone fruit, spices, leather and menthol meld together in a supple, silky Barbera built on pure texture. Over the last few years Sandrone has lowered the percentage of new oak and reduced toast levels considerably."90 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous Media)

"A lush, modern style, delivering plenty of power on a supple texture. Possesses definition and balance, intensity and length--just about all you could ask for in a Barbera. Drink now through 2015." 92 Points Wine Spectator

"Bright saturated ruby. Extremely primary aromas of cassis, spices and violet, with an enticing suggestion of cancied berries. Very dense and lively, with firm structure and superb fruit. Finishes tight and long, in need of some bottle aging." 92 Points International Wine Cellar

"The 2009 Barbera d’Alba impresses for its silkiness, finesse and sheer harmony. This is a mid-weight vintage for the Barbera, but here, too, the wine’s balance is totally irresistible. This shows lovely mid-palate pliancy in a feminine style that is incredibly appealing. Sweet dark cherries, flowers and subtle hints of French oak linger on the polished, impeccable finish."90 Points Wine Advocate

"Ripened to a luscious intensity, this manages to hold onto the complex detail it holds in its tannins. They feel gravelly and gripping as they surround the generous red and black fruit, refreshed by acidity. A heady and powerful barbera, this is built to age."92 Points Wine & Spirits Magazine

"Packed with fruit and spice, this displays flavors of violet candy and black currant, with vanilla and licorice accents. Well put together, with a light coating of tannins on the finish. Drink now through 2014."91 Points Wine Spectator

"The 2008 Barbera d’Alba is a beautifully pointed, focused wine. Dark raspberries, flowers, minerals and smoke are woven together in a fabric of notable verve. The mid-weight, vibrant style is a bit of a departure from some of the bigger, lusher Barberas Sandrone has made in previous years, but I find the clean, driven personality of the wine highly attractive, not to mention incredibly food friendly. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2013." 90 Points Wine Advocate

"Bright ruby. Cassis, blackberry, violet and bitter chocolate on the nose. An explosion of juicy, spicy black fruits in the mouth, with superb ripeness perfectly leavened by strong acidity. The very long finish hints at shoe polish and leather. This wine now includes some barbera from high-altitude sites in Monforte, which Sandrone purchased in 1999." 91 Points Stephen Tanzer

"The 2006 Barbera d’Alba is a jewel. The wine sparkles with layers of vibrant dark fruit intermingled with sweet toasted oak, showing outstanding length, purity and above all else, tons of class. This is a delicious wine from Luciano Sandrone. This is a very strong set of entry-level wines from Luciano Sandrone, one of Piedmont’s top growers. In a region full of outspoken, colorful producers, Sandrone remains soft-spoken and rather shy, but his wines speak for themselves rather eloquently."90 Points Wine Advocate

"Displays crushed berries on the nose, with hints of coffee and chocolate. Medium- to full-bodied, with a soft texture and a juicy, fruity aftertaste. This offers lots of subtle, beautiful fruit." 90 Points Wine Spectator